Washing machine for cleaning small industrial parts



Jan. 18, 1966 H. M. SADWITH WASHING MACHINE FOR CLEANING SMALL INDUSTRIAL PARTS Filed Jan. 10, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. How/v 0 M SAow/ r14 Jan. 18, 1966 H. M. SADWITH WASHING MACHINE FOR CLEANING SMALL INDUSTRIAL PARTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 10, I963 INVENTOR. f/omwo M. 540M174 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H. M. SADWITH INVENTOR. Howaeo M 540M771 A NX5 WASHING MACHINE FOR CLEANING SMALL INDUSTRIAL PARTS Filed Jan. 10, 1963 Jan. 18, 1966 United States Patent Oflice 3,229,701 Patented Jan. 18, 1966 WASHING MACHINE FOR CLEANING SMALL INDUSTRIAL PARTS Howard M. Sadwith, Plainfield, N.J., assignor to Industrial Washing Machine Corporation, Matawan, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 250,558 Claims. (Cl. 134--72) This invention relates in general to washing machines and in particular to such machines in which the objects to be cleaned are confined in a rotating container.

Tote pans of generally standardized dimensions are used to collect small industrial parts such as are delivered by automatic screw machines and the like. A tote pan holding dirty parts may be fastened to a foraminated basket so that the basket in combination with the tote pan defines a container confining the parts. Cleaning machines which tumble the objects to be cleaned sometimes contain those objects in such a container which must have perforations or forminations smaller than the small est object to be cleaned. The foraminations in the con tainer furnish the means of ingress and egress for the cleaning fluid, rinsing fluid and drying air. It has been found that when the fluid or air is directed upon the container from a point exterior to the container only a small proportion of the fluid or air supplied actually enters the container and comes in contact with the objects to be cleaned. Repeated unsuccessful attempts have been made to devise a practical machine in which substantially more of the fluid or air supplied would enter the container and come in contact with the objects to be cleaned.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a means of ingress to the container enabling substantially all of the cleaning fluid, rinsing fluid or air supplied to come in contact with the parts to be cleaned. This results in more eflicient cleaning and reduces the time necessary to perform the cleaning operation.

The specific machine in which this invention has been incorporated provides a series of cleaning, rinsing and drying work stations. Containers to hold the parts to be cleaned are provided. A pair of conveyor chains upon which the containers are mounted carry the containers from work station to work station. Each container is provided with a hollow axle to allow the ingress of cleaning, rinsing and drying fluids and is provided with foraminations to allow the egress of the cleaning fluid, rinsing fluid and drying air. Pairs of nozzles are provided at the various work stations positioned in such a manner that When the basket is stopped at a work station, fluid or air will be ejected from the nozzles, through the hollow axles into the container. On one of the basket axles a gear is provided. The gear meshes with an auxiliary chain drive so that the container may be rotated without displaicng it from its position at work station.

In operation a container holding parts to be cleaned is moved by the main conveyor chains to the first washing station. The container is stopped at the washing station so that its axle openings are aligned with the nozzles. Washing fluid is supplied through the nozzles under pressure so that it passes through hollow openings in the axles into the container while the container is being rotated by the auxiliary chain drive. The washing fluid may conveniently be supplied to the nozzles by means of a pump and piping interconnecting a source of cleaning fluid and the washing nozzles. The cleaning fluid introduced into the container escapes through the perforations in the container. When the washing operation is cornpleted, the container is moved by the main conveyor chains to a rinsing station. It is positioned at the rinsing station in such a manner that the axle openings are aligned with the rinsing nozzles. Rinsing fluid is ejected from the nozzles under pressure, passes through the axle openings into the container, rinses the parts and escapes through the perforations in the container. The rinsing fluid may conveniently be supplied to the nozzles by means of a pump and piping interconnecting a source of rinsing fluid and the rinsing nozzles. During the rinsing operation, the container is again rotated by means of the auxiliary chain drive Without displacing it from the rinsing station. The container is then transported by the main conveyor chains to a drying station. The container is positioned at the drying station so that the axle openings of the container are aligned with the drying nozzles. While the container is rotated by the auxiliary chain drive, air is ejected from the nozzles, passes through the axle openings, performs the drying operation and escapes through the perforations in the container. The drying air may conveniently be supplied to the nozzles by means of a blower and ductwork connecting the blower to the nozzles.

FIG. 1 is a side sectional elevation of a cleaning machine in which the invention may be incorporated.

FIG. 2 is an end section view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a portion of FIG. 2.

The cleaning machine disclosed in US Patent No. 2,943,424 may be modified to incorporate this invention as Will be apparent to men skilled in the art from the following.

Referring now to the drawings, a casing or housing of the cleaning machine is designated generally by the number 10. The machine is constructed so as to enable conveyance of the containers and articles to be cleaned to various work stations, displaced in sequential positioning, within the casing of the machine.

The interior of the casing 10 is divided into a washing station 11, rinsing station 12, first drying station 13, second drying station 14 and third drying station 15. Inside the casing 10 are placed a pair of main conveyor chains 16, displaced in parallel relation. The containers 17 are rotatably mounted between the main conveyor chains 16 at spaced intervals thereon. The main conveyor chains 16 carry the containers 17 sequently to the washing station 11, rinsing station 12, first drying station 13, second drying station 14 and third drying station 15.

Tote pans 18, of generally standard dimensions, are used to collect parts delivered by automatic screw machines and the like. A tote pan 18 is placed in position against the sealing flange 19 of a foraminated basket 20 and is locked in position by locking gate 21 so as to define a container 17 confining the .parts to be cleaned or as explained in US. Patent No. 2,943,424. The complete container assembly 20 essentially comprises of a tote pan portion 18 and a basket portion 20. Loading and unloading of the containers is performed at loading station 22.

The basket 20 is constructed with a tubular axle 23 having a basket mounting flange 24 which is mounted to one side wall of the basket 20 by bolts 25 disposed around the basket mounting flange 24. On the other side wall of the basket 20 a tubular axle 26 having a basket mounting flange 27 and a gear mounting flange 28 is mounted by means of bolts 29 disposed around the basket mounting flange 27. A sprocket or gear 30 is mounted to the gear mounting flange 28 by means of bolts 31 disposed around the gear mounting flange 28. Graphited bronze bushings 32 are slidably fitted into the tubular axles 23 and 26. The shafts 33 are tubular, that is to say they are provided with a passageway to a hollow opening at or near the inner ends through which cleaning fluid or the like can be supplied into the container. Tubular shafts 33 are slidably fitted into the graphited bronze bushings 32 and constitute a pair of supporting mem bers. Angle braces 34 are spot-welded onto links of main conveyor chains 16, and are bolted onto the tubular shafts 33 by means of bolts 35. The foregoing constitute a means of rotatably supporting the container 17 which provide a conduit for fluid or air to enter the container 17 by means of the tubular or hollow opening running through the tubular shafts 33 along the axis of the containers rotation. The main conveyor chains 16 ride in guides 36. Auxiliary chain 37 rides in guides 38 and is constructed so as to mesh with gear or sprocket 30 when the container 17 are at a work station.

A pair of washing nozzles 39 are positioned on opposite sides of the washing station 11. A pair of rinsing nozzles 40 are positioned on opposite sides of the rinsing station 12. Pairs of drying nozzles 41, 42 and 43 are positioned on opposite sides of the drying stations 13, 14 and 15 respectively. Washing fluid is supplied under pressure to the washing nozzles 39 by pumps through piping. Rinsing fluid is supplied under pressure to the rinsing nozzles 40 by pumps through piping. Drying air is supplied under pressure to the drying nozzles 41, 42 and 43 by blowers through ductwork.

A limit switch tripper 44 is spot-welded to one of the tubular shafts 33. A limit switch 45 is positioned along the route of one of the main conveyor chains 16 so that as each container 17 passes the limit switch 45 the limit switch tripper 44 of the container 17 trips the limit switch 45.

The nozzles 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 are displaced in 3 pairs located in opposed relation to one another along the path of the main conveyor chains 16 so that when one of the containers 17 is positioned at one pair of nozzles, other containers 17 are positioned at the remaining nozzle pairs.

The operation of the machine can best be shown by following one of the container 17 through a complete washing, rinsing and drying cycle.

The container 17 are displaced from each other equal distances on the main conveyor chains 16. As each container 17 approaches the loading station 22 the limit switch tripper 44 of the container 17 trips the limit switch 45. The limit switch 45 then stops the motor driving the main conveyor chains 16. The position of limit switch 44 is adjusted so that when the main conveyor chains 16 cease their movement following tripping of the limit switch 45 a container 17 is positioned at the loading station 22 and each pair of nozzles 39, 40, 41 42 and 43 has a container 17 aligned with them.

A tote pan 18, containing parts to be cleaned, is fastened to the foraminated basket 20 at the loading station 22 so as to form the closed container 17. The main conveyor chains 16 are then activated to carry the basket toward the washing station 11. The limit switch tripper 44 on the next following container 17 trips the limit switch 45 as that container 17 passes the limit switch 45. Tripping of the limit switch 45 stops the main conveyor chains 16, so that the tubular shafts 33 of the container 17 are positioned in alignment with the washing nozzles 39. Washing fluid is supplied at the washing nozzles 39 under pressure so that it enters the container 17 through the tubular shafts 33 along the axis of the containers rotation while the container 17 is being rotated by auxiliary chain 37 meshing with gear 30. At the end of an appropriate washing cycle, the main conveyor chains 16 move the container 17 to the rinsing station 12 so that the tubular shafts 33 of the container 17 are aligned with the rinsing nozzles 40. Rinsing fluid is supplied under pressure at the rinsing nozzles 40 so that it enters the container 17 through the tubular shafts 33. The container 17 is again rotated by means of the auxiliary chain 37 meshing with gear 30. At the end of an appropriate rinsing cycle, the main conveyor chains 16 carry the container 17 to a point where the tubular shafts 33 are aligned with the first pair of drying nozzles 41. Drying air is supplied under pressure at the first drying nozzles 41 and enters the container through the tubular shafts 33. The container 17 is again rotated by means of auxiliary chain 37 meshing with gear 30. In succeeding cycles the container 17 is positioned so that its tubular shafts 33 are positioned sequentially in alignment with the second pair of drying nozzles 42 and the third pair of drying nozzles 43. The container 17 is then moved by the main conveyor chains 16 to the loading station 22. At the loading station 22 the tote pan 18, now containing clean parts, is removed and may be replaced by a new tote pan 18 containing parts to be cleaned.

As an alternative construction, one of the tubular shafts 33 might be open and the other tubular shaft 33 might be closed, thus allowing the ingress of cleaning fluid, rinsing fluid or drying air through only one side of the container 17. As another alternative construction, instead of conveying the container 17 to the nozzles, the container might be left stationary and the washing and other fluids or gas conveyed to it in turn. By valving means, even a single nozzle might be used to supply cleaning fluid, rinsing fluid and drying air to the tubular shafts 33.

As another alternative construction, the containers 17 might be rotated at the work stations by means of individual gear drives at each work station meshing with the gears 30. As another alternative construction, the auxiliary chain 37 might follow a generally rectangular path within the perimeter of the main drive chains 16 instead of following a path outside the perimeter of the main drive chains 16 as shown in the figures. As another alternative construction, the tubular shafts 33 may be made as one shaft extending through the container assembly and provided with openings along that portion of its length within that assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning machine for washing small industrial parts comprising a housing, a loading and unloading station, a source of cleaning fluid, a pair of cleaning fluid nozzles located in opposed relation to one another to define a washing station, piping interconnecting said nozzles and said source of cleaning fluid, a source of rinsing fluid, rinsing nozzles located in said housing displaced in opposed relation to one another to define a rinsing station, piping interconnecting said source of rinsing fluid and said rinsing nozzles, a source of hot dry air, drying nozzles located in said housing in opposed relation to each other to define a drying station, piping interconnecting said source of air and said drying nozzles, at least one partially foraminated container for holding the parts to be cleaned, a conveyor chain, said container rotatably mounted on said conveyor chain, means for powering said conveyor chain to move said container from one station to another so that the container may be loaded and the parts washed, rinsed, dried and unloaded in turn, said means for rotatably mounting said container on said conveyor chain including a tubular axle through a side wall of said container supported by a tubular support member afiixed to said conveyor chain, means for rotating said container, and a means for aligning said container opposite said nozzle in a manner such that fluid ejected from said nozzle passes through said tubular axle and shaft into said container assembly and onto said parts while said container is rotated.

2. An automatic cleaning machine for removing oil, grease or like impurities from industrial parts, said machine comprising a pair of conveyor means displaced in parallel relation, a plurality of work stations displaced at spaced positions along said conveyor means, at least one partially foraminated container assembly adapted to confine the parts to be cleaned, a means for rotatably mounting said container assembly between and on said conveyor means, at least one of said mounting means comprising a tubular axle afiixed to said container and a tubular shaft aflixed to said conveyor means, at least one fixed nozzle positioned at each of said work stations so as to receive a container assembly adjacent thereto, means for rotating said containers, a means for supplying fluid under pressure to said nozzles, a means for aligning said container opposite said adjacently spaced nozzles in a manner such that fluid ejected from said nozzles passes to and thereupon through said tubular axle and shaft into said container asembly and onto said parts while said container is rotated.

3. In a cleaning machine for washing oil, grease or like impurities from small industrial parts and in which these objects to be cleaned are confined in a plurality of rotating partially foraminated containers, tubular axle supporting means for said container open on at least one end, journals for rotatably holding said tubular axle means for said container, transport means for holding said journals, a plurality of cleaning stations, a nozzle at a first of said cleaning stations, a source of cleaning fluid and conduit interconnecting said source to said nozzle at said first cleaning station, a second nozzle at a second of said cleaning stations, a source of fluid and conduit means interconnecting said source of fluid and said second nozzle with pumping means for supplying the fluid to said second nozzle at said second cleaning station, powering means for said transport, and control means for said powering means so that in operation the tubular axle, carried by said journals, may be moved from the position aligned with an opposite to one of said nozzles to a position aligned with and opposite to another of said nozzles and so that the fluid may be supplied in sequence from each of said nozzles which are mounted in and form a part of their respective cleaning stations to and into the tubular axle means which are supported and moved by the journals that are in turn carried by the transport from station to station, and means for rotating said containers on said axles in said transportable journals.

4. An apparatus for oscillating and cleaning small parts at a plurality of work stations including a plurality of partially foraminated container assemblies for holding the parts to be cleaned, said container assemblies having at least one opening therein, means for rotatably supporting each of the container assemblies, a transport means for rotating said container and for indexing the container assemblies sequentially from one to another of each of the work stations, a nozzle located at one of said work stations, said nozzle being rigidly fixed in position at said station, said nozzle being spaced from a position for the container assemblies at said station, a source of cleaning fluid for said nozzle with conduit and pumping means for supplying said cleaning fluid to the nozzle at said station, another nozzle at another of said work stations, said other nozzle being rigidly fixed in position at said other station, said other nozzle being spaced from a position for the container assemblies at said other station, a source of cleaning fluid for said other nozzle with conduit and pumping means for supplying said cleaning fluid to the other nozzle at said other station, powering and control means for said transport to position and align each of said container assemblies at each of said work stations, so that an opening into the container assembly is provided adjacent to the nozzle when the container assembly is positioned at the work station and so that fluid may be supplied from the rigid nozzles into the containers which are sequentially moved from one nozzle to the next as they are moved from one Work station to the next.

5. A cleaning machine for washing small industrial parts, etc., comprising a housing, a loading and unloading station, a source of cleaning fluid, a pair of cleaning fluid nozzles located in opposed relation to one another to define a washing station, conduits interconnecting said cleaning fluid nozzles and said source of cleaning fluid with pumping means for supplying said cleaning fluid to said cleaning nozzles under pressure, a source of rinsing fluid, a pair of rinsing nozzles located in opposed relation to one another to define a rinsing station, conduit interconnecting said source of rinsing fluid and said rinsing nozzles with pumping means for supplying said rinsing fluid to said rinsing nozzles under pressure, a source of drying air, a pair of drying nozzles located in opposed relation to one another to define a drying station, conduit interconnecting said source of air and said drying nozzles with pumping means for supplying said air to said drying nozzles under pressure, a plurality of partially foraminated containers for holding the parts to be cleaned, said containers having at each side end an opening disposed about the axis of container rotation, means for supporting the container at each of said stations, transport means for moving the container from each of said stations to the next, and control means for positioning the container at each of said stations so that said openings into said containers may be sequentially aligned with the washing, rinsing and drying station nozzles whereby their respective fluids may be supplied seriatim from the fixed nozzles into the containers through said side axial openings, and means for rotating the containers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 96,397 11/1869 Conner 68-59 576,401 2/1897 Gibbs 134-153 X 927,051 7/ 1909 Jensen 134-153 1,207,720 12/1916 Dilg 134-72 1,271,549- 7/1918 Dudley 68-58 X 1,411,380 4/1922 Roof 134-72 1,586,403 5/1926 Braley. 1,712,751 5/ 1929 Cunningham 134-33 2,178,701 11/1939 Petre 134-33 2,943,424 7/ 1960 Sadwith 134-72 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner. GEORGE 1. NORTH, Examiner. 

4. AN APPARATUS FOR OSCILLATING AND CLEANING SMALL PARTS AT A PLURALITY OF WORK STATIONS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PARTIALLY FORAMINATED CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES FOR HOLDING THE PARTS TO BE CLEANED, SAID CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING THEREIN, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING EACH OF THE CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES, A TRANSPORT MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID CONTAINER AND FOR INDEXING THE CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES SEQUENTIALLY FROM ONE TO ANOTHER OF EACH OF THE WORK STATIONS, A NOZZLE LOCATED AT ONE OF SAID WORK STATIONS, SAID NOZZLE BEING RIGIDLY FIXED IN POSITION AT SAID STATION, SAID NOZZLE BEING SPACED FROM A POSITION FOR THE CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES AT SAID STATION, A SOURCE OF CLEANING FLUID FOR SAID NOZZLE WITH CONDUIT AND PUMPING MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SAID CLEANING FLUID TO THE NOZZLE AT SAID STATION ANOTHER NOZZLE AT ANOTHER OF SAID WORK STATIONS, SAID OTHER NOZZLE BEING RIGIDLY FIXED IN POSITION AT SAID OTHER STATION, SAID OTHER NOZZLE BEING SPACED FROM A POSITION FOR THE CONTAINER ASSEMBLIES AT SAID OTHER STATION, A SOURCE OF CLEANING FLUID FOR SAID OTHER NOZZLE WITH CONDUIT AND PUMPING MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SAID CLEANING FLUID TO THE OTHER NOZZLE AT SAID OTHER STATION, POWERING AND CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID TRANSPORT TO POSITION AND ALIGN EACH OF SAID 